On this page today we shall be walking you on how to get a France student visa application form online if you are just been admitted to any French university. Whether or not you require a student visa for France will depend on whether or not you are an EU national.
If you are an EU national, or national from the EEA, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you do not require a French student visa. Instead, all you will need in order to legally study in France is a valid passport or other valid travel ID.
If you are a national from anywhere else in the world, you will need to obtain a student visa for France in order to be able to undertake a study.
Types of French Student Visa to Apply for
There are several types of French student visas, and the one you require will differ depending on how long you are planning to study in France.
- Visa de court séjour pour etudes (‘Schengen’ short-stay student visa): You can come to France and study for up to three months on this visa, without the need for a separate residence visa. This is suitable for those enrolling in a language course or short-term programs.
- Visa de long séjour temporaire pour etudes (temporary long-stay visa): This type of France student visa allows you to study in France for between three and six months without the need for a residence permit. It is non-renewable.
- Visa de long séjour etudes (long-stay visa): If you want to study for longer than six months, then you need to apply for this visa. This type of study visa lasts for the duration of your course in France i.e. three years for bachelors, two years for masters, and four years for a Ph.D. Long-stay visas act as residence permits and are called VLT-TS.
Submission of French student Visa application and collection of passports can be done only by the applicant himself or through a travel agency authorized by the Embassy of France, New Delhi. French Student Visa has two distinct stages of application.
- One at the Campus France and the other
- At the embassy.
The set of documents can vary for both of them. You would be required to submit originals at Campus France and Photo-copies at the embassy/ consulate/ Visa Application Centres.
Documents Required to Get a Student Visa for France
You should provide two sets of application photocopies containing the following documents:
- Long stay application form for the duration of more than 90 days
- Two passport size photographs
- A copy of Passport
- A print out of your CampusFrance NOC
- Letter of registration from the academic Institution
- Cover letter explaining the study project and a CV/Resume
- Proof of funds – tuition fees + a minimum of 615 Euros/month, for the complete academic term
- Proof of medical insurance with coverage valid in France
- Copy of your round-trip airline ticket (if you are studying for six months or less) or a one-way ticket if you are studying in France for more than six months)
- OFII form (Office Francais de Immigration et de Integration)
- Proof of residency in France such as a lease, electricity bill, title of the property, etc. for a minimum of three months or a hotel reservation
- Copy of the CV
- Copies of the degree and academic diplomas, certificates
When you go for your interview, you would be required to carry all your documents in the original plus a copy of all the documents.
How to Apply for a France Student Visa
Nationals from a number of countries will apply for their French student visa through Campus France, the country’s official national agency for higher education and international students. Those students would also have been required to use Campus France to apply to their chosen French institutions, via the CEF procedure. See this list of countries to find out if you need to apply for both your visa and your admission in this way.
If your country of origin is not listed in the link above, then you will be responsible for both your university application and your French student visa application. Only once you have received acceptance into a program at a French institution will you be eligible to apply for your student visa for France.
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In order to apply for France student visa, you will need to contact the French consulate in your home country and provide them with the following, when requested:
- An official acceptance letter onto an accredited program at a French institution. This should be on officially headed paper, featuring your full details, the details of your program of study, and the start and end dates of study.
- Proof of sufficient funds for living in the country. The current amount required is €615 (US$820) per month, which can be shown with a bank statement, a guarantor’s letter, or a notice of funding from a loan, scholarship, or grant.
- Proof of return ticket home. Often this is in the form of the actual ticket or reservation showing the date of departure, but can be a handwritten statement of intent, including intended departure dates.
- Proof of medical insurance (minimum cover €30,000, US$40,150)
- Proof of accommodation. Can be shown in the form of student housing confirmation or a certificate of board and lodging or ‘attestation d’accueil’ (if you’re living with friends or relatives).
- Proof of proficiency in French, if you are studying a French-language course.
NOTE: The Embassy of France, New Delhi has implemented a change in arrangements for the collection of the processed passport from visa application centers. Which became effect from 8th December 2014, it will no longer be possible for third parties to collect the documents on behalf of an applicant, except in the following cases:
- Immediate family members (Parent, Child, or sibling)
- One member of a group collecting for the entire group
- A person collecting on behalf of Govt. officials if authorized on the Govt. letterhead or department
- A representative of a company – Authorization letter on the letterhead of the company and the official ID card of the representative.
France Student Visa Cost
The Visa Fee for Long Stay National Visa for Study purposes is €99 for students applying for bachelors/ masters courses. For dual course applicants as well as exchange students, the fee is the same. This amount needs to be paid at the nearest BNP Paribas Branch.
Apart from this charge, you would also be required to pay the Visa Processing charge of €50 which is at present at INR 4338 as well as the VFS Service Fees and handling charges which amount to INR 1467 (inclusive of taxes).
Working in France with a French Student Visa
With a valid residence permit (the VLS-TS functions as such), as an international student, you are eligible to take on paid work for 964 hours annually (this equates to about 60% full-time employment). This number of hours is configured for work between the periods of 1 September to 31 August. Eligible work hours between September and June are (up to) 670, while July to August is (up to) 300 hours.
We hope the above information about the France Student Visa Application Guide, Requirements & Fees was helpful?
